Over the Past Few Months I have been Featuring 10 Different Bass Players in my "Who's The Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll, there has been 126 Votes so Far, and if you are Not One of them Voter's, Please Vote Now! (over to your Right). The Ten Bass Players are as Follows (Written in Order of the Poll, Top to Bottom), Press the Name's to see their Individual Post's I have Written on them, including Bio's and their Best Tracks:
In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll.
The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Week's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!
In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.
I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week!
ARTIST NUMBER 2..............MARK ADAMS This Week's Bass Player is Mark Adams (He got my Vote) of the 70's Funk Band Slave, incidentally my Favorite Bass player and my Favorite Band! I had the Pleasure of seeing Mark Adams and Slave in Concert back in 1984, at The Pink Elephant in Luton UK, it was a Great Concert, by The Best Funk Band Ever! I have Scoured the Internet, but there is not Too Many Stories and Facts Concerning the Slave Bass Player, so I have Posted about Slave's Early Years, which Mark Adams was an Integral Part. I will put a Few Links at the End of the Post and if you know anything, which I have not Mentioned Please drop me an e-mail (for a Part 2 Post)!
Mark Leslie Adams was Born during 1960, he was one of 3 Sibling's,(the other 2 were Sisters) and from Dayton, Ohio, USA. Slave began in 1975, Guitarist Mark "Drac" Hicks had a Band Called Black Satin Soul with Drummer Tim "Tiny" Dozier, they later met Trumpeter Steve Washington in a Local Music Class! Mark Hicks also Knew Bassist Mark Adams, who Led another Local band by the Name of "The Young Mystics" which also included Floyd Miller, Tom Lockett Jr, Carter Bradley, Danny Webster and Orion Wilhoite. All the Members of the 2 Bands Gelled Together after a Music Session at Tim Dozier's House!
The 2 Band's decided to Form 1 Band together, and they Called themselves "Congress"
After 2 or 3 Sessions together the Band decided to Change their Name to "Slave" after Floyd Miller came in to 1 of the Sessions with a T-Shirt on with the Name "Slave" Written across the Front of it! Slaves early Work included Covers of Band's such as Earth Wind & Fire, Hall & Oates and the Average White Band. Their First Concert Performance was at "The Roth High School" Talent Show, Steve Washington's Father Brought them Their First P.A System and Mark Hick's Father Brought them their First Amp and a Couple of Guitar's.
After about 6 Month's of Rehearsal's in Mark Hick's Father's Garage, Steve Washington Tried to get Slave their First Contract. He knew "Jeff Dixon" who was Programme Director from WNJR-AM, he later Became "Slaves" Manager and Producer! Jeff Dixon then Set about getting Slave a Music Contract, this took about 6 Weeks and During Spring of 1977, and Slave were Signed by Henry Allen, President of Cottillion Records, a Subsidary of the Great "Atlantic Records".
That same Year of '77 saw "Slave" Release their Debut Album, Entitled "Slave" it was Producer by Jeff Dixon. The Album reached Number 6 on the Us Billboard Top Soul Chart and was Certified Gold. The Biggest Hit (& only Single Release from the Album) on the Album and Slave's Biggest Hit of All Time was "Slide" the Track went "Gold" on 14 July of '77. "Slide" Reached Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and made it to Number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The Original Line up for The "Slave" Album was as Follows: Steve Washington....Trumpet, Percussion and Vocals Mark Hicks...............Lead and Rythym Guitars and Vocals Mark Adams............Bass Guitar Floyd Miller.............Trombone, Trumpet and Vocals Tom Lockett Jr.......Tenor and Alto Sax Carter Bradley.......Keyboards Danny Webster.....Guitar and Vocals Tim Dozier............Drums, Percussion and Vocals Orion Wilhoite.....Alto and Tenor sax
Mark Adams was Ever Present in Slaves Line-up during their 15 Studio Album's, they also Released 7 Compilation Album's and had 21 Single Releases. Mark Adams Died on March 5th 2011, he was 51 Years of Age, I Believe he had 6 Children and 10 Grand Kids. To Hear some of Mark Adams Great Bass Playing check out this Great Slave Mix from ej flavors.com there are some Great Tracks on Here! Full Track Listing as Follows: 01 – Slide 02 – Spice Of Life 03 – Party Lites 04 – Wait For Me 05 – Inside Out – Odyssey 06 – Watching You 07 – Just A Touch Of Love 08 – Dreamin’ 09 – Snapshot 10 – Steal Your Heart
My Last Music Post Concerned the Poll I am Running on "Greatest Soul Singer of All Time" (over to the Right of this Blog), I have now Finished Featuring All 11 Artists, one by one over about a 5 Month Period.
At Present Marvin Gaye is Top of the List with Al Green in Second Place, these 2 are my Top 2 Choices, apart from I would have had Al Green at the Top! I am Very surprised there are No Votes for Eugene Record (Lead Singer with the Chi-Lites) I am Sure The Chi-lites will be Right near the Top of a "Soul Music Band" Poll. Perhaps I will have a Poll for "The Top Soul Music Band of All-Time" sometime in the Future!
Anyway back to the Present, I have just Started a New Poll (to the Right of this Blog) on "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Please have a Vote (on Both Categories) after you have Finished Reading this Post, also Please Press the "Opinions" Button on Top left of Voting Widget to Leave Your Views!
I also saw Level 42 Live in Concert back Around 1985, again Mark King was Great and by Far the Best British Bassist of All-Time!
I will do the same with this Poll as my Previous one and Feature all the Artist's one by one (2 a Month) over the Coming Month's, I will Write a Bio with Fact's and Figure's concerning each of the Artist's, I will also include some of their Greatest Track's and Video's.
One Bassist worth Featuring now (I did not put in Poll for obvious Reasons) is Robert Gordon, he used to be Part of Gil Scott-Heron's Backing Band "Amnesia Express" during the 80's, I saw GSH live back in the Mid 80's, but he was Performing Solo.
Robert Gordon was Featured Playing Bass with GSH on his TV Special back in 1983 called "Black Wax", I have Featured this Program before on this Blog, but its worth another Mention. Press the "Black Wax" Link Above to View Video in Full.
Have a Look at the Video "Waiting For The Axe To Fall" by GSH & Featuring Robert Gordon on Bass, its one of my Favorite GSH Track's and Robert Gordon is Magnificent on Bass!
Please Re-Visit over the Coming Month's for All Future Post's on "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Related articles
In this Series of Posts, I will writing about a Particular Classic Soul/Funk Album from the 60's 70's and 80's
The one's that stand out in my Mind, as The Best Soul/Funk/Jazz/R&B Albums ever Released. All of them, I purchased on Vinyl many Years ago and also now have them on CD or Digital Download today.
You may have a Differing view (as we all do) on these Choices, but these are my Favorites!
What a Fantastic Album this was, Probably "Slave's" Best!
All Track's were Uptempo, apart from One (Track 7) and that was Probably the Weakest Track on the Album!
Which was The Best Track, I would probably say "Wait For Me" but they are all Great, but as I Love the "Bass" with the Late "Mark Adams" being my Favorite Bass Player, I also Liked "Smokin"
The Album had 3 Singles Released: Tracks 1, 5 and 2, with "Snap Shot" gaining the Highest Chart Placing!
One thing I always remember about this Particular Album, My Parents went to USA on Holiday in '81 and they Brought it back for me!
The only Trouble was, on the Journey back from Holiday, the Suitcase must have Been "Really Hot" on the Aeroplane, Because the First Track on the Album was "Warped" so that Meant Track 1 on Both Sides "Was Unplayable" Snap Shot and Wait For Me!
Luckily these were The Single Releases, so I got them that Way.
What a Fantastic Album and to think its now 31 Year's Old!
Here's the 79th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its a bit different from the usual Mix, its a Tribute to Slave Bassist, who Died last Week, its Features some of Slaves Greatest tracks and of course Mark Adams on Bass!
Go to EJ FLAVORS Website for all Track details and Download! Slide, Just a Touch of Love,Wait for me, Party Lites, Snap Shot, Watching You & more!
Also checkout this In-depth story and more Slave Music!
